Regional Manager, Safety and Emergency Preparedness, FIFA World Cup 2026

Department: Safety & Security

Employment Type: Fixed Term - Full Time

Location: Remote

Description
The Regional Manager, Safety and Emergency Preparedness will report to the Director, Safety and Emergency Preparedness. The managers will work closely with the Regional Director, Safety and Security to manage the planning, coordination and implementation of the comprehensive safety and emergency functions in each region.

This critical role will work closely with local emergency management, fire/rescue services (to include suppression, special operations, hazardous materials response and life safety), emergency medical services and other local and regional partners.

THE POSITION
As a Regional Manager, Safety and Emergency Preparedness for the tournament, the individual will assume a leadership role in the development and implementation of safety measures, ensuring a comprehensive and effective response to potential emergencies. This entails overseeing the following main responsibilities:

• Serve as the FIFA26 liaison with, state, and local safety and emergency agencies to support overall World Cup emergency preparedness planning and coordination.
• Develop plans that ensure a coordinated and measured approach that reflects the highest standards of public safety and community engagement.
• Collaborate with medical and EMS providers to establish and maintain a robust medical response system, as per the FIFA Medical requirements.
• Develop protocols for handling medical emergencies, mainly related to crowd-related incidents at every FIFA World Cup 2026 official site.
• Support the FIFA26 safety and security teams in implementing fire safety measures and collaborate with relevant authorities to address fire-related risks.
• Review local protocols for responding to hazardous materials (HAZMAT) incidents and potential weapons of mass destruction (WMD) threats.
• Coordinate drills and training exercises to enhance preparedness and response capabilities in these areas.
• Formulate and update comprehensive emergency response and management plans tailored to the unique dynamics of the tournament. Collaborating with local emergency management agencies to integrate tournament-specific plans with broader community response strategies.
• Facilitate simulation exercises with participation of the various involved agencies and functional areas to test the effectiveness of emergency plans and identify areas for improvement. Including conducting after-action reviews.
• Implement the FIFA26 Security C4 strategy and play a key role at the command and control structure implemented by the department.
• Prepare regular reports on the status of safety and security operations and its venues (hotels, training sites, team base camps, etc.) and present to the Exec. Director of Safety and Security and the Chief Security Officer as required.

YOUR PROFILE

• Bachelor's degree or similar education / experience in emergency preparedness, fire rescue operations, policy development, and event management.
• Minimum 10 years of experience managing safety and emergency management for large, complex organizations, with a focus on large-scale events.
• International major sporting events experience to be considered a plus.
• Knowledge of sport event safety and emergency planning and best practice.
• Experience with National Incident Management System (NIMS) and Incident Command System (ICS).
• Ability to work effectively with stakeholders at all levels.
• Deep understanding of safety risk management and emergency preparedness.
• Proven track-record in building and/or managing complex projects with multiple stakeholders for a high-profile organization.
• Experience working in multicultural environments.
• Fluent in English (written and spoken)
• Additional languages are an asset (Spanish, in particular)
• Proficient in MS Office (Excel, Word, PowerPoint, Visio and Project), planning software and online collaboration tools.
• Proficient in Open-Source Intelligence Tools, patron screening technology, biometric identity solutions, enterprise access control technology, and video analytic